Wildlife group rescues abandoned marmoset seen 'appearing lost' at Punggol HDB

Channel NewsAsia 17 Dec 18;

SINGAPORE: A black-tufted marmoset, a species of monkey that is one of the most illegally smuggled wildlife, has been rescued after it was spotted in Punggol over the weekend.

This is the fifth marmoset rescued in Singapore this year.

Wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) told Channel NewsAsia on Monday (Dec 17) it received an alert on Saturday night that the marmoset had been "sighted appearing lost" outside Block 271D, Punggol Walk.

ACRES officers visited the area on Sunday morning to look for the animal and interview residents. A member of the public later spotted the adult marmoset at a basement parking area and managed to contain it in a cardboard box and alert ACRES.

"ACRES is shocked to rescue a fifth marmoset in a year," the rescue group told Channel NewsAsia.

"Such abandoned exotic wildlife is just a tip of the iceberg, and several other individuals may go undetected, still being held captive at homes illegally or traded openly online."

Black-tufted marmosets are primarily native to Brazil, which indicates that the animal ACRES rescued was smuggled into Singapore to be kept or sold illegally, it said.

In an appeal on Facebook, the group said that the marmoset will be handed over to the Singapore Zoo.

"The illegal pet trade is still very much rampant in Singapore and the cruelty behind captive wildlife for the illicit pet trade is unjustified," ACRES said in the post.

ACRES said that the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore has been informed of the marmoset's plight.

In April, four marmosets were found abandoned at the doorstep of a clinic on Serangoon Road.

"Exotic animals do not survive in unfamiliar environment and often die from starvation, stress or animal attacks/road accidents," ACRES said.

Concerns regarding disease is another reason why exotic animals should not be kept as pets, it added.

Primates such as marmosets can transmit viral and bacterial pathogens to humans and other primates. These pathogens are mainly passed on through fecal-oral routes.

"We urge public to say no to keeping wild animals as pets and appeal to give any information one may have on the owner of this animal."

Under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act, it is an offence to import, possess, display or sell such animals.

Anyone caught violating this is liable to a fine of up to S$50,000 for each species or a jail term of up to 2 years or both.

Source: CNA/ga(aj)

Brazilian monkey rescued in Punggol
Acres notes alarming rise in listings of live animals for sale online
Vanessa Liu Straits Times 20 Dec 18;

A black-tufted marmoset, which is a rare species of monkey, has been rescued in Punggol, the fifth to be found so far this year in Singapore.

It is likely that the animal, which is native to Brazil only, had been smuggled into Singapore to meet the demands of the illegal exotic pet trade, said primate scientist Andie Ang, who chairs the Raffles' Banded Langur Working Group.

Given the relatively small size of the monkey - about 20cm in height and 350g in weight - it could have been brought into Singapore by land, sea or air, Dr Ang added.

The monkey is being cared for at the Singapore Zoo, after it was rescued by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) on Sunday.

It was first spotted near Block 271D in Punggol Walk by a member of the public last Saturday. But when an Acres rescue team arrived at the site, it was nowhere to be found.

The next day, another member of the public found the marmoset and managed to contain it in a cardboard box. It spent the night at the Acres Wildlife Rescue Centre before being transported to the zoo on Monday.

For every marmoset that is delivered to a customer, nine others would have died along the way.

In April, four marmosets were found abandoned outside a clinic in Serangoon Road. Two of them were in a wooden box, one in a carrier and another in a plastic Tupperware box. All four animals were rescued by Acres and sent to the zoo.

Ms Anbarasi Boopal, deputy chief executive of Acres, said that while many people might think it is cool to keep exotic pets and that they can provide for them, such wild animals have diverse needs that are often impossible to meet in captivity.

She urged exotic pet hobbyists to consider the welfare of the animals and the cruelty of keeping them in captivity.

She also noted that listings of live animals on online trading platforms are growing at an alarming rate and emphasised the urgent need for specific regulations that govern the online sale of these animals.

Dr Ang said that for every marmoset that is delivered to a customer, nine others would have died along the way due to factors such as poor diet and diseases.

"These primates are highly intelligent and mobile; keeping them at home would be detrimental to their physical and mental health," she said.

Under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act, it is an offence to import, possess, display or sell such animals.

A person convicted under the Act is liable to a fine of up to $50,000 for each species or a jail term of up to two years, or both.